Sridevi's home

Actor Sridevi's body left the airport at around 9.30 pm and reached her Andheri home at 10.33 pm in an ambulance escorted by Mumbai police. Her nephew Mohit Marwa and industrialist Anil Ambani were present at the airport to receive the body. Around 150 policemen and private guards were posted outside Green Acres, in Lokhandwala Complex (Andheri), and the nearby Celebration Club, where the body will be kept today from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm for the public to pay their respects.

The funeral will take place at around 3.30 pm at Vile Parle's Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery.

The family released a statement saying, "On behalf of Khushi, Janhvi, Boney Kapoor, the entire Kapoor and Ayyappan families, a sincere thanks to the media for your continued sensitivity and support during this emotional moment." It added that the media can also pay their respects "provided camera, recording devices, etc are left outside the venue". "The last journey will commence at 2 pm from Celebration Sports Club to Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery," it added.

All through the day, fans lined up outside the gate of the actor and her producer husband, Boney Kapoor's, home. Many of them came from other states, such as Andhra Pradesh in the hopes of catching a last glimpse of the actor's remains.

"It has taken too much time for her to be brought here," said a fan who stood bang opposite her house. The guards on duty were in the dark about where the body would be kept overnight.

As information came in that the body had been released in Dubai, the number of fans swelled.

Police doubled their presence and made announcements for people to remove their vehicles or else they would be towed away.

Earlier in the day, Dubai handed over the body of legendary actress to Indian authorities for it to be returned home, an Indian embassy official said. The official said the body had been "received, embalmed and taken on its way to India".

The body was embalmed in Muhaisnah and flown to Mumbai on a private jet. Apart from Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor, her stepson Arjun Kapoor, was also in Dubai to oversee the formalities.

The Dubai Public Prosecutors Office closed the investigation into the actor's death and cited the forensic report to say she had accidentally drowned following loss of consciousness.

The Dubai Media Office, via Twitter, said that the decision to release the body was taken after thorough investigation, putting to rest any speculation of foul play. "Dubai Public Prosecution has approved the release of the body of the Indian actress Sridevi to her family following the completion of a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of her death," it said, adding, "Dubai Public Prosecution stressed that all regular procedures followed in such cases have been completed. As per the forensic report, the death of the Indian actress occurred due to accidental drowning following loss of consciousness. The case has now been closed."

— With agency inputs